


From the Ashes

by ehvul_butterfly (summerbutterfly)



Series: The Best of Advent 2010 [2]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Advent Challenge 2010, F/M, slight AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-09
Updated: 2010-12-09
Packaged: 2017-10-13 14:29:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/138388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/summerbutterfly/pseuds/ehvul_butterfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Was it just her or...did that boy she keep seeing over the past few weeks look awfully familiar?</p>
            </blockquote>





	From the Ashes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [catriana_chan](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=catriana_chan).



> Written for Day #4 of the 2010 Advent Challenge at Livejournal. Slightly AUish.

His face was turned away from her, his hands tucked deep in the shadowy pockets of his overcoat. It was lunchtime, but the muted winter sunlight made it feel more like evening, as did the absolute stillness that lay over everything.

Walking up to him felt strange. Strange because, in all the time he’d been at school with her (going on almost three weeks now), they’d never spoken. They’d passed each other plenty of times, made eye contact, even brushed elbows once. But when Orihime had gone to speak, even just to say a friendly hello, the words had died in her throat. She liked to think it was just because she didn’t want to be overbearing. Both Tatsuki and Ishida-kun had told her more than once that she had a bit of an overwhelming personality. But if she were honest with herself, she knew it had nothing to do with that.

The problem was, the new boy had the face of a ghost.

“Um...excuse me?”

The boy turned. “Yes?”

Orihime felt her breath catch. For a moment, it was almost as if she were back there. Back in that dark, endless tunnel being scrutinized by the coldest pair of eyes she’d ever seen. Only this time, the coldness wasn’t contempt. It was wariness, a learned defensive behavior designed to keep others from seeing too much.

She tucked a lock of stray hair behind her ear. “Um. Hi. I’m Orihime Inoue. I go to school here with you.”

“I know.”

“You do?”

“Yes. I’ve seen you in the hallway several times.”

“Oh.” She twisted her mittened hands together and looked down at her feet. “Well, that makes sense. I’ve seen you too, of course. I guess that was a silly way to introduce myself.”

“It was, but it’s fine.”

An awkward silence fell. She could tell he was waiting for her to speak, waiting for her to state her purpose, but the truth was, she didn’t have one. It was familiarity that drew her to him. The need to prove to herself once and for all that, despite the striking resemblance, he was nothing more than an ordinary boy.

“So, are you liking it here so far?” she asked. “It must be a big change from...from where you came from.”

Something that might have been a smile played at the edge of his lips. “It’s different,” he said. “But I’m adjusting.”

“Oh. Well, that’s good. I’m sure you’ve figured out that everyone around here is actually pretty nice. Even the ones that look mean really aren’t.”

“You mean like Kurosaki?”

Orihime felt herself blush. “Yes. He’s a good example.”

The boy’s green eyes held hers.

“That’s good to know,” he said. “Though I think I might still prefer to keep my distance. It doesn’t seem like we have very much in common he and I.”

The wind ruffled his dark hair. Orihime watched as it brushed against his pale cheek.

“You might have more in common that you think,” she murmured.

“What was that?” The boy asked.

Orihime blushed deeper, realizing she had spoken out loud. “Oh. Nothing. Talking to myself. Um, anyway, I have to go meet my friends now. They’re waiting in the classroom. But uh...it was nice talking to you. We should talk again sometime.”

“I’d like that.”

Orihime smiled and turned to go.

The boy called her back before she could take a step. “Miss Inoue?”

“Yes?”

“It...pleases me to know you’re not frightened of me.”

The shiver that ran through her had nothing to do with the cold. “Why would I be frightened of you?” she asked.

The boy before her shrugged. “I’m not sure. But you’re just the first person here to talk to me like I’m something more than just a shadow. It feels...nice.”

Somehow she managed to swallow past the lump in her throat. “I’m glad,” she said. “I would hate for you to feel unwelcome. See you later?”

“Yes. See you.”

And this time when she turned to go, he let her. And this time, too, when she turned to go she knew it didn’t mean goodbye.


End file.
